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South Dakota public libraries recognized for accreditation efforts

Seven South Dakota libraries were accredited by the South Dakota State Library in 2012, under a relatively new system of tiered accreditation that began three years ago.
The libraries were recognized during a ceremony before lawmakers and the public in the Capitol Rotunda Thursday afternoon.
Public libraries are accredited at one of three levels: Essential, Enhanced or Exemplary. Accreditation at the Essential level means a library satisfactorily provides services above the minimum required by state law and federal guidelines. Each subsequent level of accreditation builds on the previous level with additional indicators that libraries must meet. Exemplary is the highest level of service.
Libraries are evaluated in the following areas, as outlined in South Dakota Public Library standards: governance, administration, access, collections and resources, funding, staffing, technology, and public relations. The three levels of accreditation are based on the number of indicators achieved in each of the standards.
“We encourage all our libraries, large or small, to take a look at the standards – to use the standards as benchmarks in their goals and improvement plans,” said Interim State Librarian Daria Bossman. “All these South Dakota public libraries set as their goal to serve their communities and reach above and beyond what is set as minimum standards for public libraries in South Dakota.”
The following South Dakota public libraries were accredited in 2012 by the South Dakota State Library:
• Brookings Public Library-Exemplary
• Custer County Library-Enhanced
• Edgemont Public Library-Enhanced
• Harrisburg Community Library-Essential
• Hill City Community Library-Essential
• North Sioux City Community Library-Essential
• Scotland Community Library-Essential
Detailed requirements for each level of tiered accreditation, as well as a complete list of accredited libraries, are available on the South Dakota State Library’s webpage at www.library.sd.gov